


Methos Chronicles 13

by Helis_von_Askir



Series: Methos Chronicles [13]
Category: Highlander - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:02:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24589516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helis_von_Askir/pseuds/Helis_von_Askir
Summary: War sucks, always has, always will, but sometimes it can't be avoided, because it's everywhere.
Series: Methos Chronicles [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1350058
Kudos: 17





	Methos Chronicles 13

**Author's Note:**

> I don't owe anything, aside from my OFC.

The bar was full to bursting and customers were already sitting on the sidewalk when Methos arrived. No surprise considering the weather. The sun had been baking down on Rome for days now and everyone wanted to refresh themselves after work. And for a change the patrons were a mixed crowd with a lot of native Romans in there.

“Are you giving out free beer?” Methos asked when he finally made his way to the bar where Joe was busy pouring.

Joe laughed at him. “No, you’re out of luck there. But with the heat people no longer care what they drink as long as it’s cold.”

Methos scoffed and somehow made his way behind the bar without any of the other guests noticing. “I always care. But the weather will change in a couple of days anyway.”

“That’s not what the forecast says.” Joe pointed out.

Methos shrugged and opened a bottle of beer Joe kept just for him. “What the hell do they know?”

Joe chuckled. Methos predictions were usually a lot better than anything the weather guys came up with. “Well, I keep that in mind.”

A few hours later and the mad rush for cool drinks was finally over. The bar was still pretty full but the customers now took their time enjoying their drinks.

Joe had joined Methos at his table near the emergency exit, the Old Man’s favorite spot, and was enjoying a lull in the demand of new drinks when an older woman stepped through the open door.

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Joe muttered with a grin spreading over his face. He stood up and gripping his can he made his way towards the woman who, when she saw him, smiled at him.

“Joseph, so good to see you.” She greeted him.

“You too, Sandy.” Joe replied and gave her a hug.

“What are you doing in Rome?” Joe wanted to know as he guided her to the table. Methos in a bout of unusual politeness stood up when they approached.

“I’m just here for a couple of days before heading back to Dafur. A bit of R+R, you know.” Sandy replied.

“Sandy, this is Adam, a friend of mine. Adam, Dr. Sandra Milscot, she used to be my doctor back in the States.” Joe introduced them.

Methos shook the offered hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Dr.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” Sandy replied and took a seat. “So tell me, Joseph, what are you doing in lovely Rome?”

“I own this bar, believe or not. How do you like it?” Joe asked with a big grin.

“Really? That’s wonderful.” Sandy smiled. “And I like it a lot, though I’d like it better if I had a glass of red wine to drink.”

“Of course…” Joe started.

“I’ll get it.” Methos interrupted. “You kids catch up.”

Joe was lost to the world. He was hanging on every single word coming from between Dr. Milscot’s lips like he needed them to live.

_And he calls me a love-struck teenager_ , Methos thought from his position behind the bar. _Just wait until I write Murron about this._ Since Joe wasn’t going to do any bartending for the rest of the night, Methos decided to give it a try. It had been a while since had had worked in a bar or inn but the principles remained the same no matter the century.

It was way after closing time when Joe finally escorted Dr. Milscot to the door. Methos had already cleaned everything up and sent the waiters home. They had looked at him funny because they, as Watchers, weren’t really used to taking orders from an Immortal but hey, he was a buddy of Joe’s and they were there to learn how to blend in. That meant rolling with the punches.

“Hey, you cleaned up.” Joe said surprised when he finally returned to Earth.

“Someone had to.” Methos shrugged. “And I didn’t want to interrupt you and your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Joe protested. “I told you, she was my doctor back in the States.”

“That’s not what it looked like from here. Why don’t you ask her out?” Methos wanted to know. “I bet she’s dying to say yes.”

“You think?” Joe asked eagerly but then shook his head. “No, she’s only here for a couple of days.”

“All the more reason to ask her out.” Methos pointed out and brought two bottles of beer over to the table. They opened it and drank quietly.

“She works for Doctors Without Borders.” Joe said after a moment.

“I figured.” Methos replied.

“Seen some pretty bad things.” Joe took another deep gulp from his beer.

Methos nodded. “I figured that too.”

“And you really thing she would say yes?” Joe wanted to know.

Methos smiled at his friend. “Yes, she will. You see bad things, Joe, you need to add good things to balance things out. And you, my dear Joseph, are a very good thing.”

“Speaking from experience, are you?” Joe asked with a grin.

Methos looked all mysterious at him. “In more ways than you can imagine.”

France, 1916 AD

“Doctor Holmes, we have another one!” Nurse Hathaway called his impromptu office. With a sigh Methos closed his diary and went into the room where the wounded soldiers rested. The front line was over ten miles away but one could still hear the bombardments and guns firing. And it had driven another soldier over the edge. He was not the first and he would not be the last. War had become something different then what Methos was used to in the last few decades, and this one was the worst in a long line of bad ones. At least now he had a place to send those poor bastards to. Sean took them all in, no questions asked. The immortal doctor understood the human mind better than anyone else, and definitely better than Methos. And maybe he could even help them one day.

On his way to the bed in question, he took one of the already filled syringes and readied it. That was the only thing that helped here so far, putting them under until they reached the safety of Sean’s sanatorium. The heads of the military didn’t like it, they wanted those men back at the front fighting again. But those military leaders weren’t here, were they? They didn’t see in what state these men really were. Just because the body was whole didn’t mean that the mind was too.

But since generals didn’t listen to lowly doctors, Methos didn’t bother with telling them more than absolutely necessary. It was easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.

While the nurse and one of the other patients held the young man down, Methos injected the sedative and after a couple of minutes he calmed down and fell asleep.

“Prepare him for transport, Nurse. I’ll arrange for a car.” He instructed the young woman.

“Yes, Dr. Holmes.” She replied and hurried to get everything she needed. Methos was glad to have such efficient nurse at his disposal. Gods forbid that the government decided to send them home because they were too sensitive to be dealing with badly wounded men. Methos had heard such rumors and hoped nothing came of them. The last thing he needed were new male nurses who didn’t know left from right.

“Must we evacuate?” Nurse Melinda Hathaway asked worried. In the last few days the bombardment had ever come closer until they could feel the vibrations running through the ground with each impact, like it was happening next door.

“It would appear so. Get everyone ready to leave in two hours.” Methos told her. He had been talking to some of the guards that guarded them. They expected the Germans to break through before nightfall. He had no idea where they would take the patients to but they couldn’t stay here, that was for sure.

“That’s not long enough, Doctor.” She replied.

Methos gave her a grave look. “It will have to be.”

They made it out just in time. Methos and Melinda were in the back of the last truck and could watch their _hospital_ being vaporized by enemy fire. Methos was starting to seriously dislike the Germans. They used to be great guys to hang out with, they liked to fight, sure, but then, most people did, but in the last few decades they had gotten a flea in the ear that they were entitled to more and had just been waiting for an opportunity to take it. And the Austrian archduke had been happy to oblige. Traveling to Sarajevo in that climate had been asking to get assassinated.

“Where do you think they’ll put us?” Melinda asked. Outwardly she was calm but he could tell by the way she picked at her fingernails that she was worried because some of their patients probably wouldn’t make it.

“Wherever they find a spot for us.” Methos replied. “We’re not exactly a high priority for them.”

Melinda shook her head tiredly. “How long can they keep going like this? Until we’re all dead?”

Methos shrugged. “They’ll certainly try, but no, I don’t think the Germans keep this up for more than three, maybe four more years. Then they’ll have to capitulate, hopefully.”

They resettled in an abandoned manor several miles behind the front. It was not worse than the last place they had been, they actually had a bit more room. This time Methos even managed to find a little room for himself, where he could spend his short nights.

“Everyone settled in?” he asked Melinda that first evening.

She nodded. “Those who made it. I made a list of those we lost and put it on your desk.”

Methos blinked at her. “I have a desk? How did that happened?”

Melinda shrugged. “You have one corner of the big table in the main dining room. But I guess it’s better than nothing.”

He sighed. “It can wait until morning. Get some rest, Melinda.”

She nodded with a tired smile. “You too, Doctor.”

Methos was lying in his cot a few days later trying to get some sleep when the door to his room opened and Melinda stepped inside. Worried he sat up. “Is something wrong, Nurse Hathaway?” he asked.

But she only shook her head and with two steps she was in front of him and a moment later she sat on his lap and started kissing him. Though Methos hadn’t been expecting this, he wasn’t one to say no to a willing partner and returned the kiss. They hurriedly got rid of their clothes and then Methos sank into Melinda’s welcoming arms. They didn’t waste any time on foreplay. Just a quick, intense coupling that left them both satisfied and exhausted.

They were woken by cars arriving to bring new wounded. The sky was just starting to lighten but when had that ever stopped anyone from killing each other?

They both sprang out of bed and dressed in record time. Hurrying down the stairs to where the soldiers were off-loading the wounded, neither of them said anything about last night. There was not much to talk about. They had sought and found comfort with each other in the middle of this nightmare and that was all.

Though he wouldn’t say no if she came to him again. After all, it looked like the war would keep on going for the foreseeable future.

And in the end he wasn’t too far off with his estimate. The war ended two years later, with a body count that exceeded human imagination. Even his.

Present Day

“Your nurse? Come on, Old Man, that’s so cliché.” Joe shook his head and refilled their glasses.

“It was war, neither of us could be picky” Methos defended himself.

“And what happened to her, after the war, I mean?” Joe wanted to know.

Methos hesitated a moment before answering.” I married her.”

“For real?” Joe exclaimed surprised.

“Yes, for real.” Methos sighed. “She was effective and efficient. I liked her, a lot. She liked me too, thank God. She was the last one I married before Alexa.”

“How long did it last? Did you tell her?” Joe asked eagerly, not above milking the old Immortal since he was in the mood.

“Thirty-one years.” Methos chuckled humorlessly. “Had to tell her after then. She was very understanding. She usually was, aside from a thing or two.”

“And the next war? A doctor again?” Joe probed.

“God, no! With those new weapons it was far too dangerous to get anywhere near the front. Melinda and I were living in London when it started. I got into code breaking. Safely in an underground bunker they turned into our office.”

“You two were still living as husband and wife? That must have gotten you some strange looks.” Joe commented. “I mean, cougars didn’t into fashion until a few years ago.”

Methos gave him an annoyed look. “Yeah, well, people are stupid, but no, not as husband and wife. She was over fifty by then. We were widowed aunt and devoted nephew.” He gave him a small smile. “Plus some extras.”

“I can just imagine how devoted you were.” Joe shook his head. Methos merely kept smiling.

London, UK, 1942 AD

Methos suppressed a groan when he heard the air alarms. The Germans had been bombing the hell out of London for the last few weeks and it was starting to get on his nerves. He really didn’t know what had gotten into their heads in the last century or so, but the Germans behaved like rabid dogs since before the mess in 1914. Maybe it was something in the water.

“Come on, people, you know the drill. Let’s get going.” He called into the room. The other cryptographers got up, grabbed some of their papers and headed for the stairwell to the bunker. At least they had one in the house and didn’t have to brave the streets.

Methos had been suggesting setting his entire unit up in one of the bunkers permanently, but the bureaucrats had declared that that would be seen as cowardice. Cowardice! No one was even supposed to know they existed, that was the point of secret units like this, so who cared if what they did would be seen as cowardice?

At one point the old Immortal had stopped arguing. The war would be long over before those paper pushers would see reason. Now he just made sure that all this people got into the bunker on time, brought some work along and had enough food, water and light to pass a few hours.

They could hear and feel the bombs hitting the buildings above their heads. The Germans had been at it for a couple of hours now and didn’t seem inclined to stop anytime soon. Where were the British fighters driving them off?

“There won’t be much left of London if they keep this up.” Cora said from next to Methos.

She was his secretary, at least that’s what she had started out as, but she did have a talent for seeing patterns and he now had her working with the other cartographers. Not officially, of course, Brits were nothing if not old-fashioned, they didn’t like to see women in jobs that they thought only man were suited to do. But she was just doing too good a job to not use her.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the idea.” Methos replied. “But they don’t have enough planes or bombs to keep this up indefinitely.”

“You sound very sure of yourself.” One of his other code-breakers said unconvinced.

Methos shrugged. “Simple math. They have to fight on more than one front, and there’s only so much resources to be acquired by them and then of course building stuff takes a certain amount of time. And now that the US is fighting on our side, they’re bound to run out of steam before us.”

And he had some information from friends in other branches of the military, mortal and immortal. The Germans were overextending themselves on the Eastern front and the Russians were finally starting to fight back properly. All they had to do was hang in there, as the Americans said. And once Churchill managed to convince the other allies to invade in force on the Western front it would be over soon. The Germans liked to bite off more than they could chew, that was nothing new.

Soon the first rumors started to circulate. That an invasion was imminent, that the Germans would be defeated before the next year, that Hitler was already dead but Göring was hushing it up to keep the power for himself. And so on and so on.

Methos knew that there would be an invasion of the continent at one point, but logic dictated that it could not happen within the year. Two years more likely. And who knew what the Germans came up with in the meantime. It was also rumored that they were working on weapons of mass destructions of an unimaginable scale, but then, the same was said ab out the Americans.

“What do you make of this?” Cora asked holding the paper up that contained very sensitive information about the American weapons project.

“That the Yanks are working on something like this? Probably true. I mean, let’s face it, once this war is over Russia’s going to be the new enemy. They need something to keep them on their toes.” Methos replied.

“Yes, but will they use it? Assuming they get it to work. Against the Germans, I mean. They work on something like this too. It’s a matter of who gets it done first, right?” Cora asked.

Methos nodded slowly. “Yes, it will be interesting to see who is the faster. And yes, I believe someone will use it at some point. I mean, that’s the thing with weapons of mass destruction. For them to really be effective they have to be used at least once.”

Cora made a face that clearly told him she didn’t like the idea and turned away, only to turn back a moment later. “Would you be interested in having dinner with me tonight?” she blurted out.

Methos looked at her for a moment. Cora was an attractive woman, but he was a married man, even if no one except he and his wife knew it. And he had almost screwed that marriage up once before. And today as Melinda’s birthday. “I’m sorry, I already promised my aunt to try and find something proper to eat for her birthday. Maybe another time.”

“Sure,” Cora nodded, hiding her disappointment somewhat. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your aunt’s birthday. Give her my congratulations, will you?”

“I will, thank you. And I’ll try to bring some cake, if I get enough ingredients together for one, somehow.” Methos promised. “Hopefully it will be eatable.”

Cora nodded and returned to her desk. Maybe she hadn’t been serious. It was war, people did a lot of things in wartime they normally wouldn’t do.

It was early September when they learned of the new weapon the Germans had. A missile capable of reaching cities hundreds of miles away. The first target had been Paris but the damage had been minimal by nothing but dumb luck.

“We’re next, aren’t we?” Cora asked after reading the report.

Methos nodded. “We’re the logical choice. Washington and Moscow are still too far away even for this new rocket. Guess we have some interesting days ahead of us.”

That was an understatement. The military didn’t think the Germans had all that many of them but one was enough to cause damage like never before. But it didn’t seem that the rocket could actually be guided to its intended target. It was more pointing it in the general direction and hope for the best.

Going by the information Methos’ unit decoded for the government only about one in four made it in the vicinity of its target so far. Most detonated before they came even close.

But it mad the reaction-time for the people on the ground very, very short. But now his superiors were finally considering having them stationed in the bunker permanently. Who knew when the Germans might get lucky?

London, UK, June 1944

Melinda watched him from the door as he packed his weapons into the little bag he was allowed to bring along for personal belongings.

“Do you really have to go? Why can’t they send what information they find back to you here?” Where you are safe, she didn’t say out loud.

Methos stopped his packing and went to take her into his arms. “I wish they could but that would take up too much time. It will be alright. I’ve been in many wars before and survived them all.”

“Because there were no weapons that could rip a man to pieces in a second.” Melinda didn’t seem inclined to let him go. “Storming the French coast. That’s madness. They fortified the entire length of it with everything they have. How will you ever get through?” She wasn’t crying, she hated to cry but Methos could see the tears brimming in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes. Her body may have aged but her eyes were still as beautiful and young as when they had met almost thirty years ago.

“You’re not supposed to know any of that.” Methos chided her gently.

Melinda scoffed. “Everyone knows that. You can’t keep an invasion of that size secret, can you? And the Germans like to boast with everything they build.”

“Well, as long as the Germans think we’re going to attack at Calais.” Methos kissed her. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

Normandy, France, 6. June 1944

Melinda had been right. This was madness. Not that the invasion force wasn’t impressive too, but the Germans had dug in well and good. It would be a slaughter even if all went according to plan. And how likely was that?

“That’s an awful lot of open ground to cover.” One of the men next to him observed.

“I guess we better run fast then.” Methos replied. He and his group wouldn’t be among the first, or second, wave, they were specialists in code-breaking, engineering and interrogation. They wouldn’t be wasted as cannon fodder. Officially they weren’t even here.

Their job would come later, once the beaches were secured. Get in, get what information they could and get out. Sounded easy enough in theory, but theory and real life rarely met up.

By the time Methos and his men set foot on the soil of Normandy most of the fighting was over. The ground was littered with dead bodies, and parts of bodies. It was a terrible sight, not to mention the smell. Not even during the height of the Horsemen had they been able to create such devastation, and definitely not in such a short time.

“Good Lord!” MacPherson breathed. He was the nominal commander of their group but right now he looked ready to empty his stomach onto the beach.

“Yeah,” Methos agreed quietly. Though if there really was a God, he sure seemed to have decided to abandon this world for a better one.

A soldier, not even old enough to shave led them to a tent quickly erected on the side of the new Allied foothold. A lot of information and prisoners had been captured this day and all of it needed to be dealt with. And that’s where Methos and his friends came in.

The codes the Germans were using weren’t hard to crack, especially since Enigma was no longer a problem. Which made Methos’ job the easiest. Thank the gods he didn’t have to interrogate the prisoners. Most of the foot soldiers were just glad that it was over, not caring who won and who lost, but their officers, quite a few of them were true believers, their believe in the final victory of their Third Reich unshaken. Methos wouldn’t have any problem breaking them. But he feared that he would get lost in it, reacquire a taste for inflicting pain. It had happened before. And he just didn’t want to risk it.

London, UK, 9. May 1945

The war was finally over! All of London was celebrating. Melinda wanted to join in but she had not heard from David yet and she was worried. The last letter she had received had told her not to worry, that he was fine, but the letter was now two months old.

She knew he was immortal but with all those horrible weapons employed nowadays even he could get killed permanently without another Immortal being involved.

Suddenly there was a sound at the door and a moment later David stood there, looking tired but otherwise unharmed.

“Oh God, David.” She breathed relieved.

He smiled at her. “I had to bribe three superiors to get back this fast, but it was worth every penny. Are you alright?”

Melinda flew into his arms. “Am I alright?” I was not the one who had to wade into war. How are you?”

David closed the door behind him and kissed her soundly. “I’m fine, better than fine, now that you’re back in my arms.”

Melinda smiled at him. “Flatterer. Let’s go celebrate. I hear there’s quite the party at Trafalgar Square.”

“I was thinking about somewhere nearer.” David said and lifted her up and carried her into their bedroom.

They clothes flew before they even reached the bed. Methos kissed his way up and down his wife’s body, before he finally entered her. For a moment he couldn’t move, the sensation too overwhelming. Oh, how he had missed her.

But Melinda was impatient and wrapped her legs around him, urging him to move. With another long kiss he started to thrust into her.

It didn’t take them long to reach their respective peaks, but they didn’t stop, they were too hungry for each other. Especially Methos who needed his wife to wash away all the things he had seen in Germany. She would ask him about it later, and he would tell her, but for now he only wanted to forget. The only thing that mattered right now was his lovely wife in his arms.

Rolling them over so she was on top of him they started their coupling again. This was how to celebrate the end of a war.

Present Day

Joe did call Sandy, mostly because Methos had threatened to do it himself if he didn’t. Joe could be really stupid sometimes. Letting a woman as smart and beautiful as that slip through his fingers. And he told him so.

“And what does that make you? Letting Murron go?” Joe wanted to know as he got ready for his date.

“A stupid idiot.” Methos dead-panned.

“Glad you realize it.” Joe grinned. “How do I look?”

Methos retied his tie with practiced ease. “Very dashing. Now, go before you’re late.”

After seeing Joe off, Methos returned to his house and turned on his computer. He did have a date too, kind off.

“Hey, Old Man.” Murron greeted him when the skype connection was up and running.

“Hey, yourself.” Methos smiled. “How are you?”

Murron shrugged. “Fine, busy. You know how it is.”

Methos laughed. “Boyfriend trouble? I thought you told him what’s what.”

“I did, he walked.” Murron rolled her eyes annoyed. “Good riddance to him.”

“Hey, want to know something real fun?” Methos asked. “Joe has a date, with a very nice doctor he knows from back in the States.”

“Oh, tell me everything. Is it serious?” Murron asked eagerly. And Methos gladly did.

End


End file.
